Filing-cabinet.



nrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. KUFFEL, 0F MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN.

FILING-CABINET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPHJ. KUFFEL, of Manitowoc, WVisconsin, haveinvented a Filing-Cabinet, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to filing devices for counterslips used by retailmerchants, and my object is to provide improved filingmeans whereby thecharges against each customer may be filed separately where they can begot at in a moment without trouble.

As is well understood, retail merchants are accustomed to make memorandaof purchases by customers overthe counter and file these memoranda awayfor billing purposes, instead of entering them separately in a ledger.Now it is very desirable to know at all times how much is chargedagainst a customer each time he makes a purchase, so that the total maybe at hand, and to this end on each counterslip is added in the unpaidbalance which stands against the customer from previous counterslips.Therefore, when a counterslip is made out, the last previous counterslipmust be found in order that the balance may be added to the amount onthe new slip.

According to my invention, I provide a filing case with individualdrawers, each of the size of a counterslip, and I provide so manydrawers as there are customers, or at least so many as there arefrequent customers, one for each such frequent customer, and a number ofother drawers for occasional customers to be filed alphabetically. Iprovide these drawers with means whereby, on pressing a button, thecorresponding drawer will be shot out by a spring where the countersliplying on top of the drawer can be read instantly and the drawer pushedback again.

In the most improved form of my invention I further provide meanswhereby the drawers are held from falling out when pushed forward by thespring, although they can be readily removed by a simple movementwheneverdesired. I further provide a special spring-flap over the top ofeach drawer which is adapted to hold the contents down and prevent themfrom becoming engaged in the drawer above when that is pushed out. Ifurther provide means whereby the spring at the back of the drawer maybe inspected; and I further provide a filingcabinet made in sectionseach of which can be removed separately, and the cabinet canSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 23, 1908.

Patented Dec.;20, 1910.

Serial No. 428,790.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, taken in connection with the following descrlption thereof.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a small-sizedfiling-cabinet of three sections according to my invention, all thedrawers in the middle section being removed; Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of one end of the cabinet, showing the drawer in plan; and Fig.3 is a perspective view of one of the drawers.

In these drawings every reference letter and numeral refers always tothe same part.

The cabinet as a whole comprises a set of metal sections a and an outerwooden case or box 6, which is made to fit any number of sections as maybe desired. The case shown in the drawing accommodates only threesections of four drawers each, but it will be understood of course thatordinarily a merchant will require a case many times this size, thesections comprising say 20 to 30 drawers each. The sections are hereshown as made of thin sheet metal such as tin plate,

having two outer side-walls c, d, top and bottom walls c and f, and afront face 9 which covers "a portion of the section lying to one side ofthe row of drawers. To the inner face of the left-hand side-wall c arecient force to propelthe drawer, when released in closed position, intothe position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or if possible to throw itout as far as it will go; the drawer being held from falling out by apair of small tabs or ears m formed on the front ends of theflange-pieces h, i, and which tabs or ears overhang the sides of thedrawer and engage the rear edge a of the drawer at the limit of itsoutward movement, and prevent it from falling out. The

drawer is however easily removed by simply tilting its front end upwarduntil the lower edge of the back clears the flanges 71,2 below thedrawer, when it can be dropped slightly so as to disengage it from thetabs m. above it.

In order to retain the drawer in closed position I provide at one sideof each drawer a hooked leaf-spring 0, which may be riveted to one ofthe flange-pieces i, and which is adapted to engage the end 7) of thespring 7.: which is made to extend over the rear face of the drawer asshown. This spring 0 is bent back and has an eye (1 thereon whichreceives the turned-down end of a rod 1*, which lat ter extends throughthe front face g of the section and is provided with a button 8 thereon,so that on pressing the button the spring 0 is thrown back out ofengagement with the end 7) of the spring 71: and the drawer pushed outby the latter. A sleeve 25 is preferably secured to the inner side ofthe face as a guide for the rod 1' to prevent the turned down endthereof from becoming disengaged from the eye g.

In my most improved form I provide each drawer with a spring-flap 1?.which is secured to the rear edge of the drawer and normally stands upin the position shown in Fig. 3, but on pushing the drawer in is bentdown so as to occupy a position overlying the contents of the drawer asshown in Fig. 2. Owing to the curvature of the spring, the contents arekept well out of contact with the drawer above and thus prevented frombecoming engaged in any projecting part of said drawer and eithercrumpled up or pushed out at the back of the drawer, as often happens infiling cabinets. Each drawer will also ordinarily be provided with alabel-holder 2* in which may be inserted a label 20 hearing the name ofthe customer or letters of the alphabet or such other matter as may hefound convenient.

At the back of each section I arrange a sliding-plate a; which is maderemovable as shown by the dotted lines in order that the springs 7. maybe inspected at a moments glance and any defective ones repaired, orother necessary repairs applied to the back of the section. It will beobserved that the springs are so arranged that when the plate .r isremoved they will open out and that said plate when returned to positionwill close up the springs again.

Having thus des'a'ibed my invention, what I claim new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a filing-cabinet. the combination of a case having a plurality ofpairs of slides, drawers sliding on said slides. and downrardlyprojecting tabs on the front ends of said slides. said tabs extendingwithin the drawers. and being adapted to engage the rear ends of thelatter when the drawers are being pulled out.

In a filing cabinet, an integral sheet metal section comprising sides,top and bottom, a plurality of drawers sliding within said section, eachprovided with an ejecting spring, and a sliding-door at the hack of saidsection inclosing and forming an abut-- ment for said ejecting springs.

In combination in a tiling-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, anejecting spring secured near one end to a rear corner of said drawer andsaid end projecting over the edge of said corner, the body of saidspring normally standing out from said drawer and being pressed flatagainst the back of said drawer by the back of the cabinet when saiddrawer is pushed into place, and a spring pawl secured at one end to thecasing with its other end engaging said projecting end of the spring.

t. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, anejecting spring secured near one end to a rear corner of said drawer andsaid end projecting over the edge of said corner, the body of saidspring 'normally standing out from said drawer and being pressed flatagainst the back of said drawer by the back of the cabinet when saiddrawer is pushed into place, a spring-pawl comprising a hooked strip ofresilient material secured at one end to the casing and the hook ofwhich engages the projecting end of said spring, one end of said stripbeing turned into an eye, and a rod having one end engaging said eye andthe other end passing out at the front of said cabinet, whereby torelease said pawl.

5. In combination in a filingcabinet, a drawer sliding therein, meansfor ejecting said drawer when released, and means for releasablyconfining said drawer in closed position, comprising, in connection witha projection on the side of said drawer, a spring-pawl having an eyethereon, and a slidable rod atthe side of said drawer having one endengaging said eye and the other end protruding from the front ofthecabinet.

6. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a I

drawer sliding therein, means for ejecting said drawer when released,-and means for releasably confining said drawer in closed position,comprising, in connection with a projecting element on the side of thedrawer, a strip of resilient material secured at one end to the casingand having an eye form-ed on the other end and a hooked portionintermediately thereof resiliently engaging said projecting element, anda sliding rod mounted at one side of said drawer and having one endprotruding from the front of said casing and the other bent at rightangles and engaging said eye.

7. In combination in a filing-cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, slidesfor said drawer and one or more projecting elements at the extreme outerend of the said slides immediately above the drawer, said projectingelements engaging the front face of the back of the drawer to prevent itfrom falling out, but allowing said drawer to be readily removed whentilted up until the bottom rear edge of the drawer is free from saidslides, a removable back to the cabinet and a spring attached to theback of said drawer adapted when released to throw the samesubstantially all the way out until the back of the drawer strikes saidprojecting elements, and releasable means for holding said drawer inclosed position.

8. In a filing cabinet, in combination with a case, a drawer slidingtherein and a spring flap secured to the rear edge of said drawer andnormally standing upright, said springflap being pushed down over thecontents of the drawer by striking the part imme diately above thedrawer when the drawer is pushed in, and having a medial downwardsinuosity which rests upon the papers in said drawer and a distal upwardsinuosity which abuts against the part immediately over the drawer,thereby keeping the papers within said drawer separated by a vacuityfrom the part overlying said drawer.

9. In combination in a filing cabinet, a drawer sliding therein, slidesfor said drawer, one or more projecting elements at the extreme outerends of the said slides immediately above the drawer, a removable backto the cabinet, and a spring carried by the drawer, the pressure ofwhich is sus tained by said back, said projecting elements engaging thefront face of the back of the drawer to prevent it from falling out, butallowing said drawer to be readily removed when tilted up until thebottom rear edge of the drawer is free from said slides.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of April,1908.

JOS. J. KUFFEL.

Witnesses THos. GnE'rz, PETER BONIN.

